<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>"I could do with a little more of your help" by shuttymcshutfuck</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26781451">"I could do with a little more of your help"</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/shuttymcshutfuck/pseuds/shuttymcshutfuck'>shuttymcshutfuck</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fictober 2020 :) [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Penumbra Podcast</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Hurt/Comfort, Not Beta Read, Post-Episode: s01e18 Juno Steel and the Final Resting Place, Rita &amp; Juno Steel are Best Friends, Rita is a Good Friend (Penumbra Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 11:42:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,000</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26781451</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/shuttymcshutfuck/pseuds/shuttymcshutfuck</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“When I was missing, I wasn’t alone. I got close to someone and like always I hurt him. It’s been a month and my apartment still smells like him. I can’t-” His voice broke slightly before he forced himself to continue. “I miss him, and I can’t go back there.” </p>
<p>or<br/>Juno has been sleeping in the office ever since he got back and Rita makes him take a nap.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Rita &amp; Juno Steel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fictober 2020 :) [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1949683</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>26</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>"I could do with a little more of your help"</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Welcome to day two of Fictober! I hope you enjoy it and as always if there's anything you think needs to be tagged let me know! </p>
<p>Prompt: "That's the easy part."<br/>Title from: Hug all your friends by Cavetown</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Mista Steel, you better not still be in the office!” Rita was starting to worry about Juno. He barely left the office after he came back from god knows where with one less eye. And when he did it was never good. More than once she’d found Juno passed out at his desk and it was starting to become more of a habit. It wasn’t unusual for him to stay late when working on a case but he was practically living in his office now and they weren’t exactly swamped with work. “</p>
<p>“Mmm?” As Rita stormed into Juno’s office she saw him, half asleep and a complete mess. </p>
<p>“Mista Steel, please tell me you went home last night?” She watched him shake his head and he looked around trying to come back to reality.</p>
<p>“It’s fine, Rita. Don’t worry about me.” Rita saw him wince as he stood up and wandered through most likely in search of caffeine. She’d guess right apparently as Juno went straight to the coffee pot.</p>
<p>“Nuh uh Boss, no more of that. I am taking you home and we are going to have a nice relaxing day off. I’d say grab your coat but you’re still wearing it so let’s go.” She shuffled him out the door before he could protest. Luckily, a sleepy Juno wasn’t one to put up much of a fight with people he trusted until he fully came to. Hopefully, they’d be at his apartment before then. As soon as they got outside his apartment building however, he started to protest. </p>
<p>“Boss, we are going in so you can get some proper rest!”</p>
<p>“Fine, just not here. I can’t- can’t go back.” The look on Juno’s face made Rita soften and she took his hand. She could see the tears start to well up in his eyes. </p>
<p>“Okay, how about my place? It’s a little further but it’s not here.” Juno nodded and kept hold of her hand and Rita guided him through the busy streets. It wasn’t long until they were both inside her apartment under a blanket with snacks and hot chocolate. Thankfully, Rita had a set of Juno’s comfy clothes since it became a habit of her to drag him to her apartment after he went a good bit without looking after himself. </p>
<p>They sat in silence for a while, using a stream Rita knew Juno liked as background noise before she had the courage to speak up.</p>
<p>“Boss? Why didn’t you want to go to your apartment?” Juno was still half asleep, his head on her lap and he paused before replying.</p>
<p>“I uh- made a mistake the last time I was there. Hurt someone, I just can’t seem to go back.” Rita could hear the rawness of his voice poke through. So many things rushed through her mind. What had happened? Who had he hurt? How long had it been since he went back there? But she knew she shouldn’t pry, at least not now. Now, he needed rest and hot chocolate and that she could give.</p>
<p>“Okay, Mista Steel. It’s okay. How about you take a nap and I’ll wake you up in a lil bit?” She saw him smile slightly at that.</p>
<p>“M’kay.” Barely a minute later he was out for the count so Rita turned down the stream slightly and sat, running her fingers through his hair.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>~~</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Mornin’ Boss. Well I guess it’s not morning anymore but you know what I mean.” Rita saw his eyes flutter open. </p>
<p>“Rita? What time is it?” She watched him sit up and look around the room after attempting to rub the sleep out of his eye. </p>
<p>“It’s almost dinner time. That reminds me, you want something to eat? I was planning to order us some pizza from that really nice place down the street-”</p>
<p>“Rita, why am I here?” </p>
<p>“Oh yeah, I should probably fill you in since you were pretty sleepy earlier. Basically, I found you asleep at your desk again so I tried to take you home so you could sleep but then you said you couldn't go there ‘cause you hurt someone or somethin’ so I brought you to my place instead!” </p>
<p>“Oh, I said that?” Rita noticed that Juno wouldn’t meet her eyes anymore, his face riddled with guilt that he tried to hide.</p>
<p>“Boss? Are you alright?” She saw a tear run down Juno’s face right before he hurried to wipe it away.</p>
<p>“Not really, Rita.” He shrugged, sniffling slightly as more tears started to fall.</p>
<p>“If you don’t mind me asking, what happened?” She put a hand on his knee and saw him smile ever so slightly.</p>
<p>“When I was missing, I wasn’t alone. I got close to someone and like always I hurt him. It’s been a month and my apartment still smells like him. I can’t-” His voice broke slightly before he forced himself to continue. “I miss him, and I can’t go back there.” </p>
<p>“Oh, Boss. I’m so sorry. You’re welcome to stay here for a bit, if that’ll help.” She watched him nod and wipe his nose with the sleeve of his sweatshirt.</p>
<p>“Thanks, Rita.”</p>
<p>“Don’t mention it.”</p>
<p>“You’ve had your heart broken before, right? How did you move on? How do you make it hurt less?” The look in Juno’s eyes brought tears to her own. He looked so desperate, so guilty. </p>
<p>“Making it hurt less? That's the easy part. Moving on? Now that takes some time. I don’t really know what to tell you Boss, it’s tough. What got me through it was knowing I still had someone there.” She nudged him playfully which got her a chuckle.</p>
<p>“Thank you, Rita.” </p>
<p>“Of course, Mista Steel. Now let’s order that pizza, I’m starving!” The end carried on like that, Juno and Rita on the couch together. Just chatting and watching streams and with the sight of a smile flickering on Juno’s face every now and then Rita hoped she was helping at least a little.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>